Britain goes halal... but no-one tells the public: ritually slaughtered meat served with no warning

The Mail (UK) ^ | 18th September 2010 | Simon Mcgee and Martin Delgado

[Mrs. Don-o]

A Mail on Sunday investigation – which will alarm anyone concerned about animal cruelty – has revealed that schools, hospitals, pubs and famous sporting venues such as Ascot and Twickenham are controversially serving up meat slaughtered in accordance with strict Islamic law to unwitting members of the public.

All the beef, chicken and lamb sold to fans at Wembley has secretly been prepared in accordance with sharia law, while Cheltenham College, which boasts of its ‘strong Christian ethos’, is one of several top public schools which also serves halal chicken to pupils without informing them.

Even Britain’s biggest hotel and restaurant group Whitbread, which owns the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre chains, among many others, has admitted that more than three-quarters of its poultry is halal.

Animal welfare campaigners have long called for a ban on the traditional Islamic way of preparing meat – which involves killing animals by drawing a knife across their throats, without stunning them first – saying it is cruel and causes unnecessary pain.

Sharia law expressly forbids knocking the animal out with a bolt gun, as is usual in British slaughter­houses. Instead, it must be sentient when its throat is cut, and the blood allowed to drip from the carcass while a religious phrase in praise of Allah is recited.

The extent of halal meat consumption, even in areas of Britain with a very small Muslim population, was revealed as the Pope, on his first visit to Britain, expressed fears that the country was not doing enough to preserve traditional Christian values and customs.

[snip]

But it is animal rights groups which have been most vociferous in their opposition to halal slaughter...

[gogogodzilla]

Yeah. What’s highly disturbing about Korea/Japan/China is their distinct tendencies to eat animals live.

Like eating live baby octopi, or lightly searing a live fish and then tearing the still wiggling flesh from it’s bones.

Made me sick to my stomach to see them do it.

[kabumpo]

I may be the only person on FR who likes PETA - so not a conflict for me.

[kabumpo]

Kosher is the same - Islam copies everything. I believe that with Kosher the animal is knocked on the head first to stun it.

[the scotsman]

Vast Muslim population?.

Why is it that Americans think Britain has vast numbers of Muslims?. The Muslim % of the British population is 3%.

[Venturer]

Because the Brits appear to be bending over backwards for them. Certainly 3% wouldnt deserve all of the stories of Sharia law and Halal foods that are coming out of Britain.

[Mrs. Don-o]

No, Pauls' position is not being politically correct. Paul's position was that (1) the false gods to which this meat was sacrificed don't even exist, they are "nothings," so they have the power neithr to bless nor to contaminate this food; but (2) some young or oversensitive Christians, who don't see things so clearly, would find it offensive and repulsive, so for the sake of not offending them, I'm, not going to get in their faces eating idol-sacrificed meat.

He's concerned about needlessly offending other Christians. He's not concerned about how the pagans feel about it.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Preferential use of halal meat means, necessarily, preferential patronage of halal butchers. It puts Muslim meat-processing firms at an unfair commercial advantage vis-a-vis ordinary secular firms or kosher firms. That's totally discriminatory against non-Muslim businesses and wrong in itself.

If it were simply a question of accommodating Muslims by allowing the availability of their meats (such as kosher meats are available when appropriate in this country) it would be a different matter. Then it would be offering an alternative, not forcing a norm.

[Cvengr]

Here’s a great read on the topic.

Of particular note are the Scriptural reference discussions and the discernment between freedom and liberty.

Muslim practitioners are free to establish Halal practice for themselves, but may not impose upon the liberty of ranchers and slaughterhouses to insist all meat be prepared by Halal practice.

http://kingwatch.co.nz/Law_Government/halal_food.htm

[Zionist Conspirator]

Yeah. What’s highly disturbing about Korea/Japan/China is their distinct tendencies to eat animals live.

Like eating live baby octopi, or lightly searing a live fish and then tearing the still wiggling flesh from it’s bones.

Made me sick to my stomach to see them do it.

As I understand it, marine animals are permitted once removed from the water, requiring no slaughter at all. Only land mammals and birds require slaughter.

[Myrddin]

Around the time of Ramadan and the 9-11-2001 attack, one of the Muslim employees where I was working was excited at the prospect of slaughtering a goat. He was the one who would be cutting its throat. Another head chopper in training. He was one who disappeared from the payroll a few days after 9-11.

[MarkL]

Sorry, but I deffer to my sources .....

As do I. BTW, there are many household products that Orthodox Jews will not use because they contain ingredients that come from animals, like pet foods and certain soaps. That's why you will see the Kosher certifications on unlikely products.

Mark